Rakuten Investment Management Inc. acquired a new position in Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL – Free Report) in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor acquired 41,480 shares of the basic materials company’s stock, valued at approximately $11,556,000.
Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Wexford Capital LP purchased a new position in shares of Ecolab during the 3rd quarter worth $25,000. JPL Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Ecolab in the third quarter valued at about $26,000. Costello Asset Management INC acquired a new stake in Ecolab in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $27,000. J.Safra Asset Management Corp purchased a new stake in Ecolab in the second quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Finally, Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Ecolab during the fourth quarter worth $27,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 74.91% of the company’s stock.
Insiders Place Their Bets
In other Ecolab news, Director Michel D. Doukeris purchased 7,750 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, June 10th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $258.00 per share, with a total value of $1,999,500.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director directly owned 8,326 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,148,108. This trade represents a 1,345.49% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Benjamin M. Clark acquired 1,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 11th. The stock was bought at an average price of $263.83 per share, with a total value of $263,830.00. Following the purchase, the executive vice president directly owned 1,083 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $285,727.89. This represents a 1,204.82% increase in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. 0.50% of the stock is owned by insiders.
Ecolab Stock Up 0.4%
Ecolab (NYSE:ECL – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 28th. The basic materials company reported $2.09 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.08 by $0.01. Ecolab had a net margin of 12.57% and a return on equity of 22.72%. The company had revenue of $4.42 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $4.38 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $1.89 EPS. The firm’s revenue was up 9.7% on a year-over-year basis. Ecolab has set its Q3 2026 guidance at 2.130-2.230 EPS. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Ecolab Inc. will post 8.17 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Ecolab Announces Dividend
The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 15th. Investors of record on Tuesday, September 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.73 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, September 15th. This represents a $2.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.0%. Ecolab’s payout ratio is presently 39.19%.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
A number of analysts have issued reports on the stock. Zacks Research lowered shares of Ecolab from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research note on Monday, July 20th. Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of Ecolab in a report on Monday, August 17th. BMO Capital Markets increased their target price on shares of Ecolab from $345.00 to $360.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 29th. Oppenheimer raised shares of Ecolab from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $320.00 price target for the company in a research report on Friday, July 17th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group dropped their price target on shares of Ecolab from $352.00 to $345.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, May 20th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have given a Buy rating, two have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $327.56.
Read Our Latest Analysis on ECL
Ecolab Profile
Ecolab, Inc is a global provider of water, hygiene and infection prevention solutions and services. The company develops and supplies cleaning and sanitizing chemicals, dispensing equipment, water-treatment systems, pest elimination services and related technologies designed to help businesses maintain clean, safe and efficient operations. Its offerings span both products and onsite services, often paired with technical support and training.
Ecolab serves a broad range of end markets including hospitality and foodservice, food and beverage processing, healthcare, manufacturing and industrial operations, and energy and utilities.
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